It was all routine even if hundreds of pounds of earth were pressing down on their heads, even though the ceiling might potentially collapse at any moment, even if they were surrounded by a sea of

Publication of this book is made possible in part by a generous contribution from the Friends of Kartchner Caverns.

One comes away from Miller's page-turner with a reverence, almost an unalloyed love for Tenen, Tufts, and the Kartchner family that owned the land under which the young spelunkers discovered the cave.

—Tucson Weekly

This fascinating new book provides both exciting new details and breathtaking images in full color

— Tucson Citizen

darkness and had no idea what lay in front of them.

Award-winning author Neil Miller soon tells us that what lay in front of amateur spelunkers Randy Tufts and Gary Tenen was anything but
routine. These young men had crawled into a virgin cave, a landscape untouched and unseen for hundreds of thousands of years. In cave terminology, this underground oasis was "living"—water still
seeped down the limestone walls, depositing minerals that slowly built up into stunningly beautiful formations.

In a time when countless caves had been destroyed by vandals and looters who
had defaced the walls and had broken formations, this pristine discovery was every caver's dream. While duplicating that moment might seem difficult, this fascinating account of the fight to preserve
Kartchner Caverns lends us the same sense of awe and urgency. In an arresting tale spanning the twenty-five-year period in which Tufts and Tenen struggled to protect their find, Miller skillfully
weaves together personal interviews, biographical information, political maneuvering, and geological facts. Presented in full color with dazzling photographs showcasing the natural wonder of the
caverns, this is an invitation to take in the mysterious, stunning beauty of a cave as if discovering it for the first time.

The triumph of the conservationists and the opening of Kartchner
Caverns as a state park are known to anyone who has visited the caves as a tourist. But this narrative offers a chance to go beyond the guidebooks with its revealing look at this unspoiled natural
wonder and the science of cave conservation. With as much depth and colorful detail as the caverns themselves, this page-turning account will captivate anyone interested in caves and the preservation
of natural wonders.